Sacramento State to the MAC is now official - they are paying the MAC $18m with no conference distributions to join for what should be a short-term marriage.

Now, this is where the SBC should be working with Ohio to "offer" them an invite, and they tell the MAC they will leave immediately unless they get 50% of that $18m.... and then their two program gets that money and then we invite them in 2030 anyways before our next media deal.

We're now the most sensible league in the FBS geographically.

(02-14-2026 10:50 PM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  Sacramento State to the MAC is now official - they are paying the MAC $18m with no conference distributions to join for what should be a short-term marriage.

Now, this is where the SBC should be working with Ohio to "offer" them an invite, and they tell the MAC they will leave immediately unless they get 50% of that $18m.... and then their two program gets that money and then we invite them in 2030 anyways before our next media deal.

Why? Adding Ohio doesn't magically force ESPN to give us more money. Plus they are in our DMA.

What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

(02-14-2026 11:49 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

$18 million is more than we have. It's a temporary situation. I think once they are in the MAC for 3 years they can then go Independent. The stickler is that you can't go straight from FCS to FBS Independent, you have to go be invited by an FBS conference to move up. Once they are Independent it betters their chance of joining the MWC.

The MAC posters are saying it opens up California for recruiting, but I disagree. We spent 17 years in CUSA with 4 Texas schools and I can't remember a single player from Texas playing football for Marshall.

(02-14-2026 11:59 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  The MAC posters are saying it opens up California for recruiting, but I disagree. We spent 17 years in CUSA with 4 Texas schools and I can't remember a single player from Texas playing football for Marshall.

I get that being an argument 30 years ago, but it’s 2026. You can recruit anyone from anywhere without leaving your desk. He sends a highlight video, you email his current coach for input, you have a few phone/text conversations, some booster offers him an NIL deal, and done.

The MAC was so desperate for money to fund football that the entire conference voted to play on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. They make more money with ESPN on Tuesday than they did with ticket sales on Saturday. This is yet another money grab by the MAC to fund football at schools where the fan bases don’t support it. Ohio, Illinois and Michigan only care about Big 10 football and the NFL. Most of the MAC should be FCS including UMass and Sac. St.

(02-14-2026 11:49 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

Ross Dellenger and Matt Brown have noted that the lower budget schools in the MAC are struggling, and Sac State money helps them stay in FBS.

(02-15-2026 12:55 PM)Yosef181 Wrote:  

(02-14-2026 11:49 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

Ross Dellenger and Matt Brown have noted that the lower budget schools in the MAC are struggling, and Sac State money helps them stay in FBS.

How long does $18 million help? Between 13 schools, there's no way that helps the low budget schools longer than 3-5 years.

(02-15-2026 05:21 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  

(02-15-2026 12:55 PM)Yosef181 Wrote:  

(02-14-2026 11:49 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

Ross Dellenger and Matt Brown have noted that the lower budget schools in the MAC are struggling, and Sac State money helps them stay in FBS.

How long does $18 million help? Between 13 schools, there's no way that helps the low budget schools longer than 3-5 years.

Sadly, all anyone’s worried about right now is making it to tomorrow.

(02-14-2026 11:49 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  What a terrible decision by the MAC. Sacramento State is unbelievably desperate. They were already denied by the Pac-12 and MWC.

Meh, they pocketed 18 Million, they are fine.

We had a chance to do similar when OSU and Wazzu went independent. We'll be fine.

This is like paying beach front prices for a 5,000 sq. ft. house, but then you find out the home is in Statesboro or Conway that's 1,200 sq. ft...

(02-16-2026 05:37 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  This is like paying beach front prices for a 5,000 sq. ft. house, but then you find out the home is in Statesboro or Conway that's 1,200 sq. ft...

They know what they’re getting. They just wanted to get out of their current neighborhood that badly.

(02-17-2026 12:30 AM)HarborPointe Wrote:  

(02-16-2026 05:37 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  This is like paying beach front prices for a 5,000 sq. ft. house, but then you find out the home is in Statesboro or Conway that's 1,200 sq. ft...

They know what they’re getting. They just wanted to get out of their current neighborhood that badly.

Got it, this is closer to the wealthy moving out of California to Texas.

I calculated once that something like 25% of all D1 schools have been either a full or associate member of the MAC in its long history.

(02-17-2026 12:37 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  I calculated once that something like 25% of all D1 schools have been either a full or associate member of the MAC in its long history.

I just counted and it was 22% (30 schools) if Sac St is included.
The SBC has also had a total of 30 schools as well.